Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Mentoring Her is an online social mentoring network that virtually connects women mentors and mentees where we can develop relationships and help one another grow in areas relating to education, career, entrepreneurship and empowerment.
Mentoring Her is the social impact organization that was selected by UNDP Digital X based on their expertise and success in mentoring girls and women around the world , amongst many other amazing companies to work with UNDP Kyrgyzstan as the implementing partner in this innovation challenge.
Every woman and girl in Kyrgyzstan, who is interested in excelling in STEM education and career, and who needs guidance on her growth journey. The platform has features that connect and facilitate communication and engagement between young female mentees and professional female mentors who can guide them.
Click the "Join Us" button on the homepage, and after filling in the required information, the admin will verify the information inputted before approving the request to join the community. All users must be approved before gaining access. If there is any questions during the application
process, please contact Acclab.kg@undp.org
Yes, it is completely free to join and participate on the STEM4ALL x Mentoring Her platform.
By helping you create powerful mentor/mentee relationships in STEM that could potentially change your life and help you reach your full lifetime potential.
When joining the STEM4ALL x Mentoring Her platform, you will be prompted to answer a few questions regarding your professional and educational background. You will also be required to answer questions around your expectations in a mentor match. After which, we will review your application to ensure that you fit the program criteria as stated below. It takes approximately 5 minutes to register.
Be intentional about the expected outcome you desire from the platform; stay active! Ask questions, network amongst fellow mentees or mentors, and check out more resources on the regional STEM4ALL platform (https://stem4alleurasia.org/). Do not be afraid to reach out to someone. People are waiting for you to connect with them. Everyone in the STEM4ALL x Mentoring Her network is here to support you.
The first meeting will be to onboard with your mentors. Mentors will explain the purpose and what mentorship is about. Most importantly, this will be a mutual dialogue between mentors and mentees. You can also speak out about your expectations on what you want to learn the most from your mentor.
You can prepare a list of questions to ask ahead of each meeting that will guide the conversation. That way, you come across as being dedicated to the goals you set for engaging with a mentor. Lastly, be yourself. The mentors on STEM4ALL x Mentoring Her know that you are figuring out your academic journey and career. Ask honest, genuine, open ended “why” "what" "how" questions. For example, "What are you passionate about in your career?" "How did you get started on this career path?" Let your curiosity guide you! And don't worry, we'll help you craft a professional message, and there are resources full of ideas at https://stem4alleurasia.org/.
If you meet with a mentor/mentee once and you don't seem to get along, we recommend that you have a second meeting to confirm if it was just the norming and storming of new relationships or if it really is not a good fit. Once you are sure, just reach out to us on the contact us page or send an email to Acclab.kg@undp.org so we can close that relationship and find you a new one.
No, please see further explanation below: All the mentees are women but mentors can be men or women.
Mentees
According to Merriam-Webster, a mentee is “a person who is advised, trained, or counseled by a mentor”.
- Identify as a girl or woman
- Be 13 years or older
- Have an interest in STEM
- Commit to meeting at least 5 times within a two-month period (chat, phone, video calls)
- Be ready to listen, ask questions, share ideas, and have a desire for growth
Browse the STEM4ALL x Mentoring Her Network to start. You can begin with a "30-minute" conversation. You never know when a conversation will turn into a lasting mentorship! Mentorship can take many forms. When you are ready to find a formal mentor, navigate to the Mentorship section of the platform.
Let the mentor know how you want to communicate (phone, email, in person, etc.) and how often. Set a regular meeting/check-in time to ensure you stay in touch. Think about your goals for the connection and set them up in the system so you can work toward achieving them (we suggest some goals to help you out). Write down your initial questions for your mentor, or check out the Mentee Guide in the resource tab for suggestions. Think about what you'd like to share about yourself.
Mentees cannot view other mentees, and mentors cannot search mentee profiles. Once a mentee is matched with a mentor, that mentor will be able to view the mentee’s profile in order to determine if she thinks the mentoring connection is a good fit. Mentors can see a mentee’s name in discussion comments within Groups.
Give them a few days and try sending a follow-up message. If, after seven days, you do not hear from your requested mentor, we will cancel the request and you can request someone else. If you are still having issues, feel free to reach out to us for support via the contact us page.
You can have as many as your band can accommodate in various aspects of your life, but as mentors are very busy and they may have other mentees, we recommend that on STEM4ALL x Mentoring Her you have one mentor at a time.
Mentors
According to Merriam-Webster, a mentor is 'a trusted counselor or guide'. A mentor is someone who has decided to take the time to connect with you to help you in one way or another.
- Be 21 years or older
- Have a STEM background
- Commit to at least 5 times within a two-month period (chat, phone, video calls)
- Be ready with a listening ear, advice, ideas, experiences to impact the life of a mentee
People become mentors for a variety of reasons. It feels great to pay it forward and help other members of the STEM community unlock their potential. You can also learn from your mentee (or even find the next hire for your team). Lastly, you are sure to build coaching and leadership skills along the way.
Share your experiences and career journey with your mentees. Help your mentees define their own goals and support them as they work toward those goals. Be a resource for your mentees as they develop their career interests and face new challenges. Stay committed to the mentoring connection and make an effort to communicate regularly with your mentees (we tell them the same thing!). For more tips check out the Mentor Guide in the resource tab. You are not expected to provide jobs or internships to anyone.
First, complete your profile. You can use LinkedIn to automatically fill in some of your information. Set your availability preferences to indicate how much time you can commit and how many mentees you can support at one time.
Potential mentees will be able to view your profile and reach out to request mentorship or ask a question. Sometimes it takes a while for a mentee to discover you due to their specific needs, so please be patient!
If you receive a request, we hope you will accept it, but you do have the option to decline a mentee if you simply do not have time or think it is the wrong fit. Once connected with a mentee, we recommend you strive towards touching base with your mentee at least 5 times throughout the two-month mentorship period. Ultimately, you decide what works best for you and your mentee.
Be sure to check your spam folder for any potential lost messages. If the problem persists, message platform support via the question mark icon in the upper right so they can make sure everything is clear on the system’s back end.
If you feel your mentee has over-committed (committed to more than one mentor), we encourage you to message your mentee to discuss possibly closing the mentorship.
Check out the discussion tab within the industry groups you joined and post/answer questions in support of the community. Share with them your favorite articles, links, and books. Enhance your profile and add more details about your work experience. Find other mentors to connect with through the STEM4ALL x Mentoring Her Network tab and know that reverse mentoring is also an option for you! Maybe you would like to be a mentee with another mentor.
We know you have busy lives and appreciate your time, we recommend that you have only the amount of mentees that you can honestly commit to. We have a lot of girls and women that need your mentorship so the more the merrier. The STEM4ALL x MentoringHer team will be acknowledging your mentorship effort and participation.
Miscellaneous
Click the red “Report User” triangle button in your inbox tab while in the message thread with the person in question. You can also notify STEM4ALL x Mentoring Her Administrators by emailing support at Acclab.kg@undp.org.
Click on your profile picture on the top right-hand side of your screen and select “My Preferences”. Next, change the notification preferences for your network activity updates with the new preferred email.
Video chat is supported on most modern browsers and operating systems. Recommended versions for use are: Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
Within STEM4ALL x Mentoring Her support can be found by clicking the question mark in the upper right-hand corner of the page, using the contact us page, or sending an email to Acclab.kg@undp.org.
OUR PARTNERS
Want to Join?
Join STEM4ALL x Mentoring Her and contribute to building a more inclusive and diverse STEM ecosystem in Kyrgyzstan.